Thursday, January 5, 2023

In a completely impromptu fashion, our travel group decided to take a moment to rest and enjoy some hot tea in the middle of an experience touring a historic mansion in Sidi Bou Said. Although completely unplanned, or likely even because of it, this moment of rest became one of the nicest moments of my trip this far.

What started as one glass of tea on a beautifully carpeted bench led to another and another. Our conversations felt authentic, and our enjoyment of the intimate space felt mutual. We were all willing to take a moment to sit - so much so that our decision to do so almost went without saying.

Our group was likely jet lagged and fatigued from sightseeing, however I found that this moment of rest did more for me than just “recharge my batteries.” Most of all, I realized how out-of-the-ordinary this type of tea break would be if it were done in the Western world. In the United States, at least in my life, sitting down for tea with no real agenda is almost unheard of. There’s always so much to do with so little time.

Whether it is because of my own busy schedule as a student or because of the death grip that Capitalism has on Western society, and it is likely some mixture of both, I find such a pressure to be productive. The need to stay ahead of an unending line of emails and work assignments is excruciating. I have been wired to believe that working is forever and that taking a break is counter productive.

In many ways, this humble tea break allowed me to see this clearly. I was doing something that would never be possible back home. I needed this.

Being surrounded by the cultural affinities of another part of the world allows one to step into an outside perspective under which they can view their own. In using the lens of a different culture, it is made possible to discover things that would be otherwise unrecognizable. Among the many things that I find much gratitude and gratefulness for in the opportunity to participate in this travel experience, this is among one of the most pressing.